Top 11 clubs with most European trophies in history
Three clubs each from England, Spain and Italy make it to this elite list.
Football fans are often found debating about their team’s supremacy in European and continental competitions. The debate about the best club in Europe is a timeless affair and ever-changing with time. However, when it comes to statistics, all baseless arguments fail and only trophies and accolades answer.
From Manchester rivals fighting for supremacy, to Spanish fans often seen mocking each other after El Clasico victories, to London rivals leaving no stone unturned to become the best. In this feature article, we shall try to delve deep into the history of European football to find out the most successful clubs in Europe over the years.
11. Manchester United (5 trophies)
Unarguably, a club that breathes legacy and is as old as time, Manchester United, have been known to win trophies even in their so-called worst seasons. Despite finishing 15th in the Premier League and undergoing a managerial overhaul, the Red Devils qualified for the finals of the UEFA Europa League this season, before ultimately falling short by one goal against Spurs.
The club have won two UEFA Champions League trophies and one European Cup. The 1967-68 season saw the rise of the Red Devils under the tutelage of Sir Matt Busby, after they defeated Benfica in the finals of the European Cup to clinch their first continental trophy at Wembley, London.
They won the two UCL trophies under Sir Alex Ferguson after beating Bayern and Chelsea in the finals of the 1998-99 and 2007-08 seasons. The legendary Alex Ferguson turned the Red Devils into a beast team as they also won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup. Their only other European trophy was during Jose Mourinho’s era. It was the UEFA Europa League triumph in the 2016-17 season.
10. Chelsea (6 trophies)
Stamford Bridge will see a European trophy after a wait of almost half a decade. The Blues scripted a dramatic comeback against Real Betis in the finals of the UEFA Conference League 2024-25. They are the most successful club in London, followed by Spurs and Arsenal, when it comes to winning continental trophies.
They have won two UCL trophies. Their first UCL victory came in the 2011-12 season after Chelsea won 4-3 on penalties against Bayern Munich, partly because of Petr Cech’s heroics. Thomas Tuchel helped the Blues secure their second UCL title. They also won two Europa League and two Conference League titles.
9. Juventus (6 trophies)
The Italian outfit clinched the European Cup in the 1984-85 season after Michel Platini’s penalty was the only differentiator in the finals against Liverpool. After a decade, they defeated Ajax in the UCL finals to win their second UCL title in the 1995-96 season under Marcello Lippi.
The three-time Europa League winners won all their trophies in the last century. Their last Europa League final in 1993 saw them win 6-1 against Dortmund.
8. Inter Milan (6 trophies)
The finalists of this year’s UEFA Champions League, Inter Milan, have a golden opportunity to lift their fourth UCL title against Paris Saint-Germain. The Milan outfit won two back-to-back UCL titles in 1964 to 1965 under Helenio Herrera to proclaim their arrival on Europe’s grandest stage.
Their last UCL trophy came in 2010 against Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 3-time Europa League winners won all their Europa League trophies in the last century. They have a golden chance to clinch a European honour after one and a half decades.
7. Ajax (6 trophies)
The most successful Dutch club in Europe has won every single one of their continental trophy in the last century. The four-time UCL champions last won the UEFA Champions League in 1995 after defeating AC Milan in the finals in Vienna under the tutelage of Louis van Gaal.
The Dutch outfit under Erik ten Hag came so close to reaching the UEFA Champions League finals in 2019. It was Lucas Moura’s hat-trick that ended the Dutch dream of winning a European trophy in this century.
6. Sevilla FC (7 trophies)
The only club in this list without even a single UEFA Champions League trophy. However, Sevilla are the most successful team in the UEFA Europa League. They have won the competition seven times in history.
Their dominance in the UEL has been nothing less than extraordinary, as they are the only side to win the competition three times in a row. Their last UEL victory came in 2023 after they edged past AS Roma in the finals. That victory came after a nail-biting penalty shootout that followed a 1-1 draw.
5. Bayern Munich (8 trophies)
The most successful German club in the history of European competitions, Bayern Munich, have won the UCL six times. Three titles surprisingly came in this century. Their last UCL triumph was half a decade ago in 2020 when Kingsley Coman’s solitary goal was enough to make Hansi Flick’s side the champions of Europe.
Their solitary UEFA Europa League title came in 1996 after Otto Rehhagel’s men thrashed Bordeaux 5-1 in the finals to become the UEFA Europa League winners.
4. Liverpool (9 trophies)
While Manchester and London clubs can sing hymns of glory and recall their old golden days, statistically, Liverpool are the most successful English club when it comes to winning trophies in Europe. The 6-time UCL winners won their last UCL title after Jurgen Klopp’s men defeated Spurs in the 2019 UCL finals in Madrid.
They also won the 2005 UCL title in Istanbul after edging past AC Milan 3-2 on penalties, in what was one of the most popular games ever. It is now referred to as “The Miracle of Istanbul”.
3. AC Milan (9 trophies)
Italian clubs like Napoli, Juventus and Inter now may seem to represent Italy at European competition stages, but it is AC Milan that has been the most successful Italian club in Europe. The seven-time UCL winners have won two UCL titles in this century, when Carlo Ancelotti led his side to glory twice in 2003 and 2007.
The 2007 UCL finals saw the redemption of AC Milan after they defeated the same opponents, Liverpool, in Athens, that demolished their hopes of winning the UCL in 2005. They also won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup twice.
2. FC Barcelona (12 trophies)
FC Barcelona won the domestic treble in Hansi Flick’s maiden season and came so close to being in the UCL finals 2025 until Inter demolished their hopes of progressing in the European competition. The five-time UCL winners have surprisingly won four out of their five UCL titles in this century, with their last one coming a decade ago in 2015 against Juventus.
The Catalans also have a golden past as they were the most successful club in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup after winning the competition four times in history.
1. Real Madrid (17 trophies)
The most successful club in the history of Europe, Real Madrid, have won double the UCL titles than AC Milan, the second most successful club in the Champions League. From 1956 to 1960, the Los Blancos won every single edition of the European Cup.
They don’t just boast of a golden history; rather, their present makes them the best team even in modern-day football. The legacy of legends like Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, Modric and many others has made this club an invincible force to reckon with. Their last UCL title came in 2024 against Borussia Dortmund.
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In addition to writing articles on World and Indian Football, Saikat has also covered tournaments like the Durand Cup, Indian Super League, and Hockey India League. Notably, his exceptional communication skills have seen him interview legendary icons like Olympic 2024 gold medalist Yibbi Jansen, former Real Madrid player Javi Hernandez, and many more such sporting stalwarts.
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